The Faceless God
by HobTheRobot
Summary: Alex Mercer, living plague, sapient virus, a being with ten thousand faces but no face that is truly his own. Sending a piece of himself back in time to avert the very horrors that created him has left him in a world with little for him to do. When offered a job he takes it, when that job is offered again he reluctantly accepts a second time. ONE-SHOT! Fair warning, a lot of notes.


**I Do Not Own Prototype or Harry Potter.**

**I wrote this out of irritation with all the crossovers I've seen with "CharacterX gets Infected with DX-1118 C: Blacklight and gets Alex's powers." It doesn't work like that. Blacklight is not a super soldier serum, it doesn't hand out shapeshifting powers like Halloween candy. The last straw for me is the 'replace Alex with kid Harry' thing I noticed on here recently, if that happened...well, the story would go something like:**

**Scientist 1: Who's this kid?**

**Scientist 2: No idea.**

**Blacklight Harry wakes up. Scientists 1&2 panic. Blacklight Harry finds his way outside and gets shot, a lot. If he gets away, unlikely with only the base mental capacity and physical skills of a small child rather than a paranoid adult who was apparently into kickboxing and freerunning, he will stumble around helplessly for a while before Elizabeth decides to leave GENTEK and start the outbreak.**

**Blacklight Harry is hunted down by Hunters and brought to Greene and his feeble will is dominated and the world is doomed because no one can stop Mother without an eighteen day old Blacklight Proto-Shoggoth (Short of Nuking Manhattan and there's no guarantee that Elizabeth wouldn't get out of it somehow). Alex was able to survive and become the 'God-like in setting' being he did because he started with Alexander's knowledge of the world and inherent paranoia which set him on his Roaring Rampage of Revenge which lead to him gaining his aforementioned God-like state and saving the day.**

**Blacklight became it's own being, it did not revive Alexander. Alex is DX-1118 C, if somehow Harry was Blacklight's first victim the result would be a being with incredible potential but not even a shadow of an identity. It would believe itself to be a child with strange powers and would act as if it were such. Greene views Blacklight as her son, because it is in a way, and would treat Blacklight Harry as such and he would likely respond by freely joining her and being a part of her Hive. Result: Armageddon.**

**Worse, if a being like Alex can absorb the ability to use Potter-verse magic...God-like becomes far more accurate a description. And if Blacklight based itself on child Harry and accepted Greene as it's mother...Greene has a fully obedient magic wielding physical god to do her bidding and could likely spread the magical powers to other Advanced Infected. Teleporting Hunters. Walkers that fire off cutting curses. Etc.**

**Another major problem is time. Young Harry couldn't be in New York at the time Prototype happens, he was born in the 1980s I believe while Blacklight wasn't created till after 2000 and didn't become sapient until 2008-9 (I forget the exact year). Moving either timeline to compensate for this doesn't really work in my opinion, it would feel out of place and forced to me whichever way it went. So, this one-shot will be Post-Prototype at first and ignores anything and everything from P2.**

_**On with what I hope passes for a worthwhile show!**_

**New York State / 10/31/2010 11:45 PM**

Alex ignored the pulses in the air around him as the wizards outside the building attempted to crack the barrier he had erected around the old structure. The magic was tied to the supports of the building itself, so those trying to break in had to be careful to avoid collapsing the whole thing. It wasn't something his stolen memories advised of course, humans weren't guaranteed to survive if a building fell on them, magical or not.

The building was old, it had to be after all, so it was already unstable. He hadn't planned for it to stand up to an assault from the local Auror equivalent, but he couldn't exactly stop and change locations now. They would just find him as soon as he started the spell again anyway.

Alex finished a third addition to the diagram on the floor, the calculations had to be almost impossibly precise if the spell was to function properly. Even a crime against nature itself knows to tread cautiously when tampering with forces that could snuff one from existence without ever being aware of them.

Just as the external shield fell and the wizards began entering the building Alex completed the final set of calculations and set the Time Turner, one of the last in the world, in the center of the circle, enchanting it to float just above a microscope slide that held a small black blob.

When the wizards threw open the door to the loft seconds later, Alex calmly turned and addressed them, buying time for the spell to complete itself uninterrupted.

"Sorry about the mess, I wasn't expecting company." Alex said, vaguely waving at the assorted debris around the room. He didn't bat an eye at the wands pointed toward him.

"Stop the ritual!" Shouted the lead wizard, signalling his fellows to fire on the circle.

Alex frowned, turning slightly and raising his right hand, palm open, toward the circle. A field of pale blue light expanded from his hand to surround the ritual, the spells the wizards had fired bounced harmlessly off the shield or were absorbed.

"That wasn't very smart," Alex remarked, still maintaining eye contact with the leader of the group. "Interrupting a ritual doesn't end well, historically."

"Better to risk the consequences of interrupting it than allow you to finish." The man replied. "Why are you even risking this? It's insane, there's a reason research into this field is illegal!"

"I'm well aware of that," Alex said, brushing aside a curse from one of the other wizards. "I know what I'm doing and what may happen if I'm successful."

"Time isn't something to trifle with!" One of the younger casters shouted.

"I'm not 'trifling' with it. If this works out I'll have saved millions of lives."

"I don't know how you think you'll accomplish that, but even if you do, what about the damage it could cause? What if you erase yourself from existence?" The leader questioned, trying to remember a spell that might get passed the shapeshifter or break the shield he was maintaining.

"Erase myself? That's the best case scenario, actually." Alex smirked at the expressions that statement caused. "You're boring me now, just sit down and don't touch anything."

Alex gestured in a manner that reminded the wizards of a stunning spell before a wall of red light expanded from his hand, the spell knocked them all to the ground and left none conscious.

Dropping the shield, Alex stepped back to a safe distance and watched the spell as it finished before the entire circle vanished, seeming to implode on itself with the microscope slide at the center before it all disappeared. There was a dull roar as air rushed in to fill the now empty space while Alex surveyed the gaping hole in the center of the room.

After cleaning up the area, wiping all evidence that he had been there, Alex reawakened the wizard who had lead the little strike team.

"Don't follow me, don't look for me. If you interfere with me ever again I will kill you." Alex said to the still prone man. His tone carrying no threat or promise, just a statement of fact.

"You're lucky." The wizard muttered as he pulled himself to his feet and retrieved his wand.

Alex stopped on his way to the door and glanced back. "How so?"

"You're still here. If your spell had worked-"

"It did."

"What?"

"It worked perfectly, I just didn't get the best case scenario. For an instant I could see the area around this building just the way it was back in nineteen sixty, the spell worked but didn't change this timeline. Better than nothing though, I'll just have to settle for knowing I prevented it all in another time and place."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Since I'm still here I still have work to do. Goodbye." Alex focused on another place and vanished without any of the usual telltale signs of apparition.

**New York State / 10/31/1960 12:00 Midnight**

Unnoticed, unobserved, a small mass of debris materialized twenty meters up in open air and crashed to the ground. It would not be discovered for almost twenty-four hours and would quickly be forgotten. Along with the rubble fell a broken glass slide and a smear of black slime upon it.

It took hours to build enough mass from microorganisms and insects before Alex was able to catch and consume a squirrel. After that he quickly accumulated more biomass and returned to human form.

"Don't think I'll ever be doing that again." The shapeshifting monster muttered to himself as he wandered through the woods, flashing his arms to different forms and changing his face just as quickly. "Looks like everything still works, that's good. Guess Idaho would be the best place to start."

**New York City / 12/25/1970 6:32 PM**

Looking out over the city from the roof of the Empire State building, Alex sighed. Those who would have been responsible were all dead or under the impression that they were some form of vegetable. The source material that had become the virus was gone, he'd consumed it all. It could never happen now, Hope had been averted, Greene and her son were safe and happy. Blacklight would never be created.

"I'm still here though." Alex crossed his arms and stared up at the wisps of clouds in the sky. "Now what?"

**Two Years Later**

Alex stared at the letter, blinked several times and reread it before setting it down.

"That's odd. I didn't think I'd made myself that noteworthy." Alex sat back and reviewed his fabricated life.

_Greene, Alexander J. Goes by Alex only. Orphan. Mother died eighteen days after birth; technically true. No Father or Siblings. No known family. Ward of State until age eighteen. Muggleborn. Attended a small school for magic in Maine and graduated with fairly average grades in all areas except for Charms, below average grades there._

_Current Age is thirty five. Born 3/21/1937..._

"Well that's not getting me anywhere." Alex muttered. Then he realized what the position he was being offered was. "Oh. It's defense against the dark arts."

Several incidents had occurred since he had made his existence in this timeline official and on record. He had been noted as having solved all of them without needing Auror assistance and without being harmed or doing excessive harm to those involved.

"That's seriously enough?" _That can't be all. Why else? What did I miss? What all does Dumbledore know?_

Alex continued reviewing his false identity as he sealed up the small house he rarely stayed in and prepared to leave for Britain. Paranoia, more than anything else, prompted him to respond to the request in person. Experience suggested that he was far too normal to be of interest to virtually anyone and certainly not impressive enough to warrant the request Dumbledore was making.

After ensuring that he had taken care of everything he needed to, Alex focused on one of his memories of Britain and vanished.

**Britain / Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

A small rush of air announced Alex's arrival at the front door of the massive castle. The moment it had been in sight he had decided to reach his destination as quickly as possible, forgetting that his own method of translocation wasn't hindered by the schools barriers as Apparition was. He didn't really care but cursed himself for doing something that would make him more interesting than necessary.

It didn't take long to be directed to the Headmasters office after showing one of the teachers the letter he had received. So Alex found himself staring at Albus Dumbledore, unsure what to do now that he was here, his first impulse was to gut the man and consume him.

After hearing the man out and getting his reasons, Alex was still distrustful but couldn't truthfully say he wasn't interested in taking the job, even if just for a few years.

"Alright." Alex said after considering the situation from thirty different perspectives for several minutes. "I'll take the job for three years. After that I'm leaving unless you can come up with a reason why I shouldn't by that time."

**New York City / Times Square / 6/13/91**

Alex sat on a rooftop staring down at the spot where, in his original timeline, he had killed Elizabeth Greene. He casually burned the letter in his hand without looking at it a second time since reading it. A second later he was gone.

**Britain / Hogwarts / Headmasters office**

A flutter of the papers on his desk alerted Dumbledore to his guest and drew his eyes up to meet the, near perpetually scowling face of Alex Mercer.

"I seem to recall asking that you not do that, Alex. The door is perfectly serviceable." Dumbledore said with a calm smile, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

"I'm not going to stand outside listing names of candies for an hour." Alex responded, ignoring the headmasters gesture for him to sit which didn't surprise the old man at all.

"You're certainly looking well. I can honestly say you haven't changed since I saw you last."

Alex didn't acknowledge the comment and simply got to the point of his visit. "Why?"

"Hm?"

"Why do you want me to come back and 'take an advisory role' in Defense Against the Dark Arts?"

"I simply feel that our current students, and those who will be joining us this year, could benefit greatly from having you present even if you aren't their full time teacher."

"Don't do that Dumbledore. You know better than to play your games with me." Alex growled out. A split second later his expression flicked back to his normal display of annoyed disinterest. "Oh, I get it. The boy starts this year doesn't he?"

"I apologize, Alex. I'm afraid I'm too used to people accepting my reasons without debate. Yes, Harry will be a student here beginning in September and I would like to ensure that he and the other students are as safe as possible."

"And you think having me here makes things safer? I'm not going to babysit Potter, or anyone else."

"I wouldn't expect you to, or ask that you do so. I do truly believe that having you here would benefit the students a great deal academically. I don't want you to be Harry's bodyguard Alex, but I know that if you are here you will do your best to protect the children, just like you did during your last stay."

"I did what the job demanded, I'm not a saint Dumbledore."

"Perhaps not, but as you said, you will do what the job demands of you."

Alex and Albus stared at one another over the desk for several seconds, one glaring and the other perfectly calm.

"Fine." Alex muttered and stood back, slipping his hands into his pockets. "I'll take the job, nothing better to do anyway. I swear though, if you try to play this game with me one more time, I'll rip out your organs and put them back alphabetically."

"I don't doubt you would try."

Alex turned and vanished, he had work to do before the new school year started.

**And That's as far as I'm willing to take this. I already have a story I really need to work on but I felt I had to do this.**

**So, obviously this is a Prototype cross with Harry Potter. In this universe the events of Prototype happen several years after the Harry Potter books end in the same universe without any dimensional travel occurring except Alex's minor timeline jump. This assumes that Alex is able to absorb the ability to use Potterverse magic.**

**So Alex is magical. He may or may not have eaten several magical creatures and samples of wood used for wands. Or he may not need any such focusing device to channel magic. He used this power and knowledge to send a small piece of himself back in time, doing so didn't alter his present though and just created an alternate timeline with Alex serving as a being from "Beyond Time" who is unaffected by temporal shenanigans as a result of existing partly outside the normal flow of time.**

**Alex eliminated any chance of the events of Prototype occurring by making sure the 'virus' could never be made and wiped out the group that was responsible for Hope, Blackwatch and everything else. He could, if he saw a reason to do so, create monsters if he wanted to and could give them magical abilities, I would not have him do that though personally.**

**Alex worked as a DADA teacher for three years and then left Britain, not returning until 1991. Dumbledore requested that he return and assist in the first 'war' with Tom but he refused. He is still anti-social and about as friendly as a flaming cactus but will not just kill off people for annoying him or something stupid like that. He's not a saint, or even all that nice of a person, but he can function fairly well around other people even if he clearly doesn't enjoy doing so. Snape actually makes Alex look like a cheerful, good natured guy by comparison, just to make it more clear what I'm saying.**

**So, like with any idea I post that I don't intend to continue, this is automatically adoptable if anyone wants to run with the idea. I would however insist on a few things: **

**If anyone feels that Alex should be in a romantic relationship, it must be with a girl and must be mostly one sided with Alex being less than pleased with the attention for the most part. I don't object at all to gay/homosexual characters, but since Alex is either a non-sexual entity or straight in Prototype Canon I would prefer he remain such in fanfiction.**

**Alex does not solve all problems. He does his job and assists students and other teachers as needed/requested. He most certainly does not start handing out genetic upgrades.**

**Dumbledore can know part of the truth of what Alex is or none of it, believing Alex to be a highly advanced Metamorph would be fine. Advanced enough shapeshifting could conceivably halt/slow/reverse aging. If, for any reason, he knows even part of the truth, he damn well better keep it to himself and not even in the most well intentioned of ways let it slip to anyone.**

**If anyone chooses to build off this idea than they could choose to fill in the three years Alex spent as a teacher and what happened during that time. They could expand on that little bit of thought I put into his false identity. Or pick up from where I stopped and tweak canon as they see fit with Alex's meddling.**

**Anyway, if anyone wants to build from here feel free to do so. If you want to and are interested in my more fragmented thoughts on the story possibilities than send me a message and I will try to answer any questions my poor explanations may have left you with.**


End file.
